Looking for a Hero

People typically have their heroes, someone they look up to and admire. It’s a good indication of where a society is at when you look at who they applaud. Sadly, America’s heroes are sometimes performers and athletes with very poor morals, yet encouragingly we still see heroes who are otherwise like a brave soldier or an ordinary citizen who steps forward to do something very noble.

In the Bible, heroes are those that share especially one thing in common: Faith in God !  And as you read Hebrews 11 you see a good many heroes. Some are named, some are not.  One hero I’ve always admired is a rather obscure prophet in the Old Testament named, Micaiah.   At the time of his ministry the Jews had split into two main kingdoms: Judah & Israel.  As you come to the final chapter of 1Kings the two kings of these nation are considering an alliance to defeat a common foe in Syria. And as was common then the kings consulted their advisors, who were prophets, about this endeavor.  Israel had apostasized and were not serving the Lord as before, so their king had false prophets which of course gave him wrong advice. He was told he would win if he went to battle. Yet the king of Judah was a little uncomfortable with all these “yes men” and wanted to truly hear from the Lord.  So enter Micaiah !    He said otherwise in vs17, “I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd, and the Lord SAID, ‘These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace”. Translation: you guys go up to battle you are gonna be routed and you will die (that’s the ‘no master” part) !

Micaiah also treats us to a rare glimpse of what is happening in heaven as things happen here. He reveals the scene in heaven where angels (good and evil) work their influences upon earthly events:  “Who shall persuade Ahab (the king of Israel) that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?. . . and there came forth a spirit (a demon) and stood before the Lord and said, “I will persuade him” and the Lord said unto him “Wherewith?” and he said, “I will go forth and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” (vss.20-22)    Job gives us a similar scene in the first chapter of his book, so we know Satan has access to heaven still and angelic influences occur amongst earthly events !

But Micaiah holds the line. He speaks truth and even graciously reveals what’s behind untruth.  Yet the kings proceed with their unspiritual alliance and head to certain defeat and death for the king of Israel ! Note this verse: “so the king (Ahab) died and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria” (vs37) and this one: “And there went a proclamation throughout the host (the army) about the going down of the sun, saying, ‘Every man to his city, and every man to his own country’.” (vs.36).  Hmm, hate to say I told ya so !  remember verse 17 above??  They really should’ve listened !

Micaiah understood something these two kings did not. There is such a thing as truth: God’s Word. We had better not trifle with it, we had better stand by it !!    If the Bible says something you can rest assured its accurate. From the opening pages and the account of how this world came about to the final remarks in Revelation and how things will end here and continue forever !  When we hold these precious truths dearly we truly live when we don’t we slowly but surely die.  But if you want to be a hero to your kids, live by faith in the Word.  If you want to leave a lasting legacy by the life God has given to you to all those who know you, trust in what He’s said, simple as that !  Oh yes, sometimes people will think you a naysayer or a prude or some other thing to justify their lack of faith but when it all comes down, its God’s assessment that really matters. So just be a Micaiah, the world needs a good hero !